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Supreme Court refuses sweepstakes stay

Sweepstakes manufacturers are asking the U.S. Supreme Court for relief.

Posted 2012-12-20T15:02:47+00:00 - Updated 2012-12-20T15:02:47+00:00

Mark Binker

The state Supreme Court has denied sweepstakes manufacturers a stay of an order that makes the gambling-like games illegal.

Last week, the court rules that a state law banning the games was legal. Unless the ruling is overturned, law enforcement agencies plan to begin enforcement on Jan. 3.

On Tuesday, lawyers for International Internet Technologies asked the state Supreme Court to delay enforcement while they appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The state Supreme Court has turned down that request, so right now there are no legal obstacles to enforcement beginning on Jan. 3.

"Our client plans to seek a stay of the North Carolina Supreme Court’s recent ruling from the United States Supreme Court and to petition for a writ of certiorari," said Adam Charnes, a lawyer for the company with Kilpatrick Townsend. "The positive economic impact and thousands of jobs provided by the industry deserve nothing less than for us to explore all legal avenues to protect them and we will continue to do so moving forward.”